Underground drainage and disposal system



April 6, 1954 c. R. NOE 2,674,337

UNDERGROUND DRAINAGE AND DISPOSAL SYSTEM Filed Nov. 5, 1950 fda 16 Inventor e. hof uw A ttor/1 Py Patented Apr. 6, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UNDERGROUND DRAINAGE AND DISPOSAL SYSTEM Clark R. Noe, Hollywood, Fla.

Application November 3, 1950, Serial No. 193,805

4 Claims. l

This invention relates to a new and improved underground drainage and disposal system for use with septic tanks, grease traps, laundries or other conditions where surface drainage is not desirable and sewerage systems are not available.

More particularly, it is an aim of the present invention to provide an underground drainage and disposal system which will eliminate a large percentage of septic tank trouble caused by failure of a tile eld to take care of the effluent rapidly enough and thus retarding or preventing the flow of sewerage from a building to the septic tank, which trouble usually stems from roots and/or sediment choking the small round tile commonly employed for conveying the effluent through the tile eld.

Another and important object of the invention is to provide an underground drainage and disposal system capable of being constructed of cement blocks, tile, bricks, etc., of conventional sizes which are readily available in any community thereby reducing the expense of construction of the system and eliminating the new for obtaining specially made tile or forms and the diiculty which may be subsequently encountered in the event that replacement of a section of said specially made tile or form is required.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drainage and disposal system whereby a built-up air or water pressure in the tile field may be relieved automatically thereby allo-wing the system an opportunity to breathe and to prevent the backing up of sewerage and the overowing of stools, urinals and showers in a building to which the system is connected.

A further object of the invention is to provide an underground drainage and disposal system having test or inspection holes at suitably spaced points making it possible to readily check and visibly inspect the system at any time.

Other objects and advantages of the invention are to provide a system which cannot be choked by roots, which provides increased capacity to take care of the peak load of eifluent, which affords greater seepage into its drainage field, which is capable of being easily cleaned or repaired if necessary, which is less susceptible to damage from freezing or heavy loads, which may i be made in shorter lengths without reduced capacity as compared to conventional systems thereby adapting the system to shorter available spaces and to yards or other areas crowded with trees, shrubbery and flowers yet which is capable of being easily lengthened where necessary, which will fully utilize the moisture and fertilizing elements in the effluent for adjacent soil watering and fertilizing and which may be constructed without any fall or deeiine in the drain line grade.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the 2 drawing, illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure l is a fragmentary top plan view of the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view partly in side elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a view looking from right to left of Figure 2 showing the sectional tile in end elevation and the surrounding tile bed in section, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross sectional View taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the underground disposal and drainage system in its entirety is designated generally 5 and includes a sectional tile, designated generally 6 which is built-up in place upon an absorption or tile bed l formed of coarse washed rock, cinders, gravel or the like. The sectional tile 6 is built-up in place without the use of mortar or other bonding mediums from concrete partition blocks, cinder blocks, tile or brick of a standard size. For example, the sectional tile 6 can be built-up from standard blocks, bricks or tile 4 x 8 X 16 inches where available. These blocks 8 are arranged on edge ordinarily in two courses to form the two sides 9 which are disposed between portions of the tile bed l, as seen in Figures 3 and a, which preferably rise on each side of the sectional tile 5 to substantially the level of the upper edges of said side walls 9. The blocks 8 of each side S are disposed in slightly spaced end-toend relationship in each course, as clearly illustrated in Figure 2 to provide open joints for seepage of the effluent through the side Walls 9 into the tile bed l. If the blocks 8 are of the dimensions previously mentioned, 4 X 8 x 16 inches, the inner surfaces of the side walls 9 are preferably spaced apart approximately fourteen inches so that corresponding blocks El may be disposed transversely above the Space It) between the walls 9 and with the ends of the last mentioned blocks s resting upon the upper edges of the sides 9 and sufciently overlapping the inner faces thereof to afford a rm support. Certain of the blocks forming the top wall I I of the sectional tile 6 and which rest upon the side walls 9 are recessed to provide openings I2, which openings are preferably arranged one adjacent each end of the built-up sectional tile 6 or not more than twenty feet apart if the seotional tile 6 is of a length in excess of twentyve feet. The blocks provided with the recesses forming the openings i2 are designated 8a. The blocks 8 and a of the cover or top wall II are disposed in abutting engagement with one another to provide tight joints.

A short length of pipe I3, preferably of four inch diameter, is disposed in an upright position on the cover II above each of the openings I2 and in registration therewith and said openings I2 and the bores of the pipes I3 are of approximately the same diameter. Each pipe I3 `is closed at its open upper end by a removable cap or closure I4 which rests loosely thereon and which is provided with a depending core or stem I5 which extends downwardly into the pipe i3 and has a loose fitting engagement therewith, as illustrated in Figure 4.

The top surfaces of the tile bed 7, which is disposed at substantially the level of the upper edges of the side Walls 9, are covered with strips of building paper I6. The upper edges of the walls 9, outwardly of the cover II are covered with broken pieces of blocks and/or tar paper, as indicated at I 'I over the joints of the upper courses of the side walls 9 and in any hollows or recesses of the blocks 8 thereof. The coverings I6 and I1 and the cover or top wall II are then covered with top soil and sod, as indicated at I3 to the ground level. The top of the closure I4 is preferably disposed at the ground level. The pipes I3 may be retained in place by the top soil and sod I8.

The ends of the sectional tile 6 are closed by end walls I9 and 20, each formed or" one or more blocks, and the end wall I8, constituting the entrance end of the built-up sectional tile 5, is provided with an opening 2| for receiving the outlet end of a conduit or pipe 22 which discharges into the chamber or space I0 of the builtup tile 6 and the opposite, inlet end, not shown, of said conduit or pipe 22 is connected to and leads from a septic tank or the like for carrying the eiiiuent from the tank and for discharging it into the cavity I0 of the built-up tile 6 so that the efiiuent may escape therefrom into the absorption or tile bed 'I through the open bottom of the sectional tile 6 or laterally through the open joints 23 of the side walls 9.

It will thus be readily apparent that an underground drainage and disposal system for the eiuent from a septic tank, grease trap, laundry or the like has been provided which is of extremely simple construction capable of being very economically produced yet which will afford far more effective seepage for the eiiiuent therefrom into the tile bed than is provided by the more expensive tile pipe ordinarily employed ior carrying the efuent through the tile eld. Further, it will be readily apparent that the builtup sectional tile 6 cannot become choked or clogged by roots or sediment and does not require a fall or decline from its inlet to its outlet end to enable it to eiiectively function and may be constructed in a much shorter length for use with a septic tank or the like of any given capacity, than is possible with the use of conventional tile pipe. The closures I4 can be readily removed for visual inspection of the interior I0 of the sectional tile 6 to ascertain that the system is working properly with an adequate margin of unused capacity always available. Additionally, the inspection ports I2, I3 additionally function with the closures I4 as safety valves or breather means since in the event of an excess ow of the eluent to the sectional tile 6 air or water pressure in the chamber I will unseat the covers I4 to permit the escape of air therethrough or, in extreme emergencies, the escape of the eiluent to prevent backing up of the eiiluent and an overilowing of stools, urinals or showers. The covers I4 are relatively light in weight so that they will be readily lifted by an air or liquid pressure to accomplish these results and will then automatically return to a closed position.

Obviously, the sectional tile 6 may be made in various sizes and lengths depending upon the capacity required and upon state and local laws and various other modifications and changes are likewise contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter dened by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an underground drainage and disposal system, an elongated built-up sectional tile having spaced substantially parallel coextensive side walls, a cover and end walls, each of said side walls being formed of a plurality of blocks disposed in spaced end-to-end relationship to denne open joints, said cover closing the top of the space between said side walls and comprising a plurality of blocks disposed in abutting engagement each having portions resting upon the upper edges of the side walls and supported thereby, said built-up sectional tile having an open bottom adapted to open into an absorption bed upon which the bottom edges of the side walls rest for supporting the sectional tile in a tile field or bed, the open joints of said side walls opening into portions of said tile bed disposed on either side of the sectional tile, and a conduit for an eiluent having a discharge end opening into the interior of the sectional tile through one of said walls and above said open bottom.

2. A. structure as in claim l, each of said side walls being formed of a plurality of courses of blocks arranged on edge, the open joints of the diierent courses being staggered relatively to one another.

3. A structure as in claim 1, one of said end walls having an opening, said discharge end of the conduit being mounted in said end' wall opening.

Al. An underground drainage and disposal system comprising an elongated absorption bed adapted to be disposed below the ground level, a built-up sectional tile comprising transversely spaced elongated side walls having bottom edges resting upon and supported by a portion of the absorption bed and having outer surfaces abutting against upwardly extending side portions of the absorption bed, each of said side walls including a plurality of blocks disposed in spaced end-to-end relationship to form open joints therebetween, a cover formed of a plurality of blocks disposed in abutting engagement to provide closed joints, said cover having side edge portions resting on portions of the upper edges of the side walls and overlapping the inner surfaces thereof, said cover being disposed below the ground level, end walls closing the ends of the cavity dened by the side walls and cover, covering means overlying and substantially sealing the exposed portions of the upper edges of the side walls and the upper surfaces of the side portions of the absorption bed, and a conduit for an effluent having a discharge end extending through one of said walls and opening into the interior of the sectional tile above the level of the bottom edges of said walls.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 237,796 Alexander Feb. 15, 1881 879,433 Hodges Nov. 5, 1907 1,155,970 Terry Oct. 5, 1915 1,536,000 Hawkins Apr. 28, 1925 2,002,301 Storms May 21, 1935 2,386,020 Wendelken Oct. 2, 1945 2,518,292 De Anglis Aug. 8, 1950 

